Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, has labeled European enterprises involved in manufacturing drones for Ukraine as “potential targets.” Ukraine has significantly increased its drone strikes on Russia throughout 2026 using these weapons. The former Russian president’s statement follows the publication by the Russian Ministry of Defense of a list containing 21 industrial facilities across various European countries that are allegedly participating in “scaling up production and supplying UAVs to Ukraine for strikes on Russian territory.”
Key aspects of the statement:
- Direct threat: Medvedev emphasized that the Ministry of Defense’s list should be taken literally: as a “list of potential targets” for the Russian Armed Forces.
- Condition for implementation: According to the former president, the transition from threats to reality depends on the further development of the situation at the front and the intensity of strikes on Russia.
- Message format: The statement was published on the social network X in the politician’s characteristic sarcastic manner (“Sleep well, European partners!”).
The list includes objects in various European countries, which underlines Moscow’s readiness to consider the entire territory of the EU as a zone for the potential expansion of the conflict.
Analytical Summary:
Medvedev’s statement is an attempt to project the concept of “deterrence through fear” directly onto the territory of NATO member states. The publication of a specific list of 21 factories serves as a tool for psychological pressure on European businesses and political elites. Moscow is attempting to impose direct responsibility on Europe for the damage caused by Ukrainian UAV attacks, effectively equating the supply of equipment with direct participation in combat operations.
This rhetoric pursues two goals. First, it aims to create an atmosphere of instability within the EU by provoking discussions about the risks to internal security arising from the support of Kyiv. Second, it prepares the ideological ground for potential sabotage or “hybrid” strikes against logistics chains. The use of the X platform in English confirms that the message is specifically addressed to a Western audience. However, the primary danger remains the potential escalation toward a direct clash with NATO should these “potential targets” actually be attacked, which would make a full-scale war in Europe inevitable.